Encore Career definition

Encore careers are jobs taken between retirement and old age that balance remuneration, personal meaning and community and societal impact. The term ‘encore career’ was popularised by Marc Freedman is his book Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life.

Commonly-cited examples of people who have transitioned to encore careers include Bill Gates, who transitioned from Microsoft to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Al Gore, who moved from politics to climate change and environmentalism.

Encore careers are often found in public interest fields, such as education and health, social services, not-for-profits and charities. Related terms are social careers and ethical careers, which place a heavy emphasis on the ‘giving back’ aspect of a career.